Kami was in good company, back to rocking in his chair on the porch of the newly-renamed Chiaotzu's Saloon. His chair creaked as he rocked back, careful not to roll over Mr. Popo's toes, while his arthritic fingers cut through the air with a wide wave. He smiled at the approach of Mrs. Son and her child.

As the old man's wizened eyes crinkled at her, Chi-Chi returned the smile. She raised the lavender taffeta of her dress so she could ascend the steps without her heels snagging on the long hem, and then turned to offer Gohan assistance, in case his crutches gave him any trouble up the steps.

"I'm fine, Mom," Gohan grumbled, struggling to wave away his mother's hand while moving his crutches up the next step.

"Hello, partial Son family," Mr. Popo greeted while Gohan's struggle continued.

"Where is Mr. Son?" Kami asked. "Goku hasn't healed yet?"

"I'm afraid not, Mr. Kami," Chi-Chi said, her lip twisting in displeasure as she watched Gohan bearing weight on his knee and wincing.

"Aw," Mr. Popo said, exchanging a disappointed glance with Kami. "That's too bad. He's missing the celebration."

Gohan looked up, peering through the swinging saloon doors sitting very still on their hinges. Past them, he could see the bright light and bustling movement of many people inside, but more importantly, he could hear the piano music playing a jazzy tune while laughter erupted from inside.

Gohan looked to the older gentlemen on the porch. "You're not going in?"

Kami chuckled. "No. We're comfortable sitting right here, keeping an eye on everyone from afar."

"Aren't you two sweet?" Chi-Chi asked, patting Mr. Kami on the shoulder and smiling at Mr. Popo. "But hopefully, there's no reason for us to ever have a need for a lookout again."

"You're very right, Mrs. Son," Mr. Popo said. "There's been more than enough excitement. Will you tell Goku we wish him well when you see him?"

"Of course," she said with a smile, nodding Gohan forward as the boy fidgeted, his gaze fixated on the scene through the saloon doors. "I'll be seeing him soon. I promised to deliver meals to the Capsule Hotel for him and Piccolo."

The doors creaked, banged, and creaked once more before slamming shut. Chi-Chi grit her teeth. Her son was joining the crowd. She had no idea what kind of debauchery the men and women in there could be getting up to.

"Piccolo?" Kami gasped, before smiling. "So it's true. He really has changed his ways."

Chi-Chi gave Kami a nod, frowned, and followed Gohan's path through the swinging doors, before muttering to herself, "I sure hope so."

She wasn't sure about Piccolo, but then, as she entered the saloon, she wasn't sure about the rest of them, either.

The crowd of short skirted women and gun-carrying, tobacco-chewing gamblers was no place for a young boy, but as her eyes panned across the room and Chi-Chi spotted little Videl with her father and his women, she supposed there was no stopping Gohan from feeling he belonged in the place. She heaved a sigh. One night of bad influence wasn't going to change her son. She supposed Gohan deserved a little fun after what he'd been through recently.

"Chi-Chi! Gohan!" Bulma called from a nearby table. She slid off Vegeta's lap, prancing toward the wide-eyed pair staring back at her.

"Bulma?" Chi-Chi furrowed her brows. "Were you just sitting-"

"On a Saiyan, I know." Bulma rolled her eyes flippantly. Then she smiled down at Gohan. "Isn't this exciting, Kiddo?"

Gohan beamed. "Yeah!"

He couldn't find a spot to settle his gaze. Every time he found something fascinating to look at, something even more impressive caught his eye. Miss Brief looked beautiful of course, more dolled up than he'd ever seen her, just like his mother – actually, all the women were. The men too, for that matter. The inside of the saloon was like a festival of color and fancy fabrics. Suddenly he wasn't as upset about the tailored suit his mother had forced him to wear. And then the music...he'd only heard music like this from afar, never being allowed in the saloon before tonight. Up close like this, he could feel the jovial beat vibrating through the floor. When he spotted Videl laughing with her father, he smiled. He wanted to talk to her. It looked like they were having fun, playing some sort of game with a small bouncing ball.

"Mom," he said, raising his crutch to indicate that direction. "I'm going to-"

"Ah, Gohan," Chi-Chi grumbled, looking that way. "I don't know."

Bulma set her hand lightly on the flowing fabric of Chi-Chi's sleeve. "Launch'll look out for him, Chi-Chi. She won't let any of the women say anything they shouldn't around kids. Besides, they're used to being around Videl."

Gohan didn't give his mother another opportunity to object. He lifted his crutches and moved.

"Just-ohhh," Chi-Chi trailed off as she watched Gohan encroach on the table surrounded by beautiful, promiscuous women, before shooting Bulma a glare. "Those hussies better not say anything inappropriate to him or it's your ass."

Bulma balked. "Mine?"

When Bulma felt a warm body brush against her side, she smiled. Vegeta didn't have to say a word to make her aware of his presence. She could feel his warmth. He had to have the warmest skin she'd ever touched - and the most intimidating presence. But she could work with him on the presence. She already couldn't wait to touch that rough, warm skin again later.

Vegeta frowned at Bulma before narrowing his eyes at Kakarot's woman. By the way things looked from where he was sitting, she'd just threatened Bulma. There was no way he was going to stand aside and let Kakarot's woman threaten his.

When Chi-Chi's black eyes fell on him, Vegeta bared his teeth. "What are you saying to her?"

"Oh, Vegeta. Chi-Chi and I are just talking," Bulma said, giggling and slapping his arm. She leaned into Chi-Chi's ear and whispered, "He's already protective of me. Isn't that sweet?"

Chi-Chi raised a brow, her eyes darting from Bulma to Vegeta. She had no idea what was going on here. She'd heard in passing that Bulma and Yamcha were no longer an item, but this was a new, fast development she hadn't expected.

"Uh...sure," Chi-Chi said with a shrug, setting her eyes on the line of bar stools behind Bulma. "I'm gonna go...get a drink."

Bulma smiled as she watched Chi-Chi walk away, then wove her arm through Vegeta's. He shoved her off and she pouted at him, but as he met her eyes, her pout turned to a smile. He was a case, that one, not ready for public displays of affection yet, apparently. But he was her case, and he knew it as well as she did.

As Mrs. Son took a seat at the bar, Tien pivoted in her direction. A smile crept across his face as he slid to her, reaching for the cool bottles of sarsaparilla below the counter. "What'll it be, Mrs. Son?"

"Sarsaparilla, please."

Tien's smile spread across his face as he handed Chi-Chi the glass bottle. "One for Gohan, too?"

Chi-Chi glanced toward the table where Gohan had settled in comfortably, looking like he actually belonged with those degenerates. Mr. Satan's boisterous bragging carried across the saloon from that table, reaching Chi-Chi's ears. Gohan looked content to listen, smiling while Videl frowned at her father and blushed by his side. Chi-Chi hoped that girl was blushing out of embarrassment of her father, rather than Gohan's presence bringing heat to her cheeks. Those children were far too young to think about courting. But Chi-Chi had to admit, they did look cute together. If anything ever did happen between them, they'd make some beautiful babies.

Chi-Chi coughed at the thought, spinning to the bar and downing a gulp of her fizzy drink from the lip of the bottle. She saw Tien looking at her funny and realized he had asked her about Gohan and was still expecting an answer.

Chi-Chi slammed the bottle on the bar. "No. Gohan's fine just as he is."

"Chi-Chi!" A large shadow loomed over the bar as a heavy weight settled into the barstool at Chi-Chi's side, causing it to groan in distress. "Mr. Shinhan! The bar looks great!"

Tien smiled. "Thank you, Mr. King. And how's your bank coming along?"

"Fine, fine," he said, chuckling and patting his robust chest. "We're making progress. It'll all come together in time. The important thing is, we're safe."

Tien's smile drooped into a frown. "What can I get you, Mr. King?"

"Oh! I'm..." Ox King flushed and let out a sigh, adjusting his collar as if it were too tight. "I'm sorry, Tien. So sorry about Chiaotzu. Those poor Geros, too."

"Honestly, Dad," Chi-Chi groaned and flushed red. "Sometimes you're as bad as Goku! Can't you men be sensitive to other people's feelings without blurting things out like that?"

"Sorry, Chi-Chi." Ox chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "I really am sorry, Mr. Shinhan. I think it was a great idea for you to rename this place in Chiaotzu's memory, though."

"It's no problem, Mr. King," Tien said, feeling the unsettling drop in his stomach lift. "It was Launch's idea, actually."

"Launch?" Mr. King glanced over his shoulder.

In her corset and frilly yellow skirt, Launch was perched on a table with a knife in one hand and the other hand flat on the tabletop. With a tense audience around her, she continued playing her dangerous game of five finger fillet. Tien inhaled sharply as he watched Launch's speed increase. He heard Chi-Chi squeak at his side before she quickly turned away, shielding her eyes.

"She's uh..." Ox ruffled his fingers through his hair, uncertain what to say. "Certainly interesting, isn't she?"

Tien quirked a smile, his gaze fixed on Launch's beautiful face. "She's interesting, alright."

When Launch looked up from the table, tossed the spinning knife in the air and caught it by the hilt, Tien let out a breath of relief. She looked his way, smirking and meeting his eyes. Tien smiled back. He wasn't ready for a relationship, but he knew Launch was always going to be there for him if he needed her. And he would be there for her.

Loud laughter rang from a full, round table of card players, breaking Tien's reverie. He looked that way to see the players deep into their game of poker. Krillin was leading by a wide margin. Across from him and his growing stack of red tokens, Eighteen's face was twitching. Tien shook his head. He knew cheating when he saw it, but then the sheriff was over there playing with them, and he wouldn't want to get the old sheriff into too much trouble with the new one.

"What is it, Tien?" Mr. King asked, turning to follow his gaze.

Tien reached for his personal bottle of whiskey and took a swig. "It seems Miss Gero has more influence over our dear Krillin than he originally thought."

As Tien chuckled and raised his chin sharply, Mrs. Son turned to look with her father. Cries of disappointment and alarm rang out from the poker table before Mr. Roshi slammed his cards down in forfeit and Yamcha's foot tapped rapidly below the table. As Krillin chuckled and scooped the tokens in the table's center to himself, Eighteen leaned back in her chair, a smug smile planted on her face.

"I bet there's good money in that game," Ox King said, smiling slyly and tracing the line of his brown beard.

"Dad," Chi-Chi growled. "You are not gonna start gambling while your grandson is here to watch you."

Ox blinked. "Gohan? He's here?"

As he looked around, Chi-Chi scoffed and took another swig of her drink. She supposed it was about time she eat something and start collecting food to take to Goku. The truth was, she missed him. Parties like this were never as fun without Goku around.

Ox slipped his hand into the interior of his vest, meaning to draw out his cigarettes. But when he caught his daughter's watchful eye, he realized he couldn't get away with that, not in here. Like gambling, he was supposed to refrain from smoking in front of Gohan. Slowly, he slid the cigarette case back in place and gave it a pat, before sliding to his feet from the bar stool.

"I think I'll...head out and have a smoke before I say hello to Gohan," he said.

Chi-Chi crossed her arms and scowled. "You'd better."

Disquieted by his daughter's reprehensive gaze, Ox slipped away from the bar. He passed the crowded poker table where Yamcha dealt another hand, then passed Oolong at the piano, then passed the table surrounded by Mr. Satan and his giggling, beautiful women, and then passed his grandson and that little Satan girl playing a game of jacks beneath the next table, making his way to the saloon's back door. He hesitated before reaching for the handle.

To his left, through the panes of glass at the back window, he could see the silhouette of a figure lurking. Someone was peering inside. Ox gripped the pistol at his hip, which he was now in the habit of carrying in light of recent events. He threw the door open and slammed it closed behind him as he stepped out. The music and laughter of the saloon's festivities were now muffled, but the sound carried just loudly enough that he couldn't make out the slightest sound from his company in the dark. Tense, Ox listened vigilantly.

"Hiya, Ox!"

Ox jumped. As he opened his mouth to cry out, a hand clapped around his lips. His eyes went wide as he followed the muscular arm up to white wrinkled sleeves folded at the elbow leading to a familiar, smiling face.

Goku withdrew his hand, smiling apologetically. "Steppin' out for a smoke?"

"G-Goku! My boy, what are you doing ou-"

Goku grimaced. "You're not gonna tell Chi-Chi you saw me out here, are ya? I'm supposed to be in bed, but I just got so restless! I could hear the piano playing all the way from the hotel."

Ox furrowed his brows and slipped a trembling hand beneath his vest for his cigarettes again. "Are you sure you're okay to move around? I thought-"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Goku said, waving it off with a broad gesture as a smile returned to his face. "Can hardly even feel it."

The sensation of pinching a cigarette between his lips seemed to immediately calm Ox's unsettled nerves. He pulled out his matches, striking one and looking at Goku, whose boyish grin was now highlighted by the dancing flame.

"You want one?"

Goku wrinkled his nose. "Nah, can't stand the smell."

"Oh, right." Ox chuckled, packing his cigarette case away and considerately letting out a puff of smoke away from his son-in-law. "I forgot. You and your sensitive nose."

Goku didn't answer at first. Ox grunted as he looked to his son-in-law to see the young man's head bowed toward the ground.

"Sorry I robbed your bank, Ox," Goku muttered.

Ox tilted his head slowly, trying to recall just how his son-in-law robbed his bank. He supposed...he did. But then, that was all for Gohan's sake, wasn't it? Ox wanted whatever was best for his daughter and her family, and Goku knew how to provide it. As far as Ox was concerned, the robbery was water under the bridge. Chi-Chi was happy. Gohan was happy.

"Think nothin' of it, Goku!"

Ox clapped Goku on the back with a laugh, though he felt bad when Goku grunted at the impact and clutched his injured chest. After he turned an apologetic smile on his son-in-law, they both sputtered with laughter.

Ox took another drag off his cigarette, then turned toward the light of the saloon window. "So...what were you doing out here?"

"Well," Goku said, casting a sidelong look at the window and rubbing the back of his head. "I'm not allowed to come in, so I figured I could at least see what's going on."

Ox stepped by Goku's side, sharing his view into the saloon. They had a great perspective of the card game from here, and Videl and Gohan were practically under their noses, but they could only see the occasional jutting of a foot or hand of the kids' from beneath the table. Their view of the rest of the saloon was temporarily obscured when a dancing pair passed right by the window, bouncing to the ragtime feel of the playing song.

Goku let out a high-pitched cry of surprise, following the dancing couple with his eyes. "V-Vegeta? Vegeta can dance?"

Without a response from Ox, Goku stared, shaking his head. He couldn't get over watching a man he knew for so long, someone so stiff and uptight, dancing with one of his dearest friends. He wondered what Bulma had done to him in such a short time. His head tilted to the side at that thought. He supposed he knew. Women had a funny way of changing things.

"Forget Vegeta," Ox said, pointing a finger through the window to the entrance of the saloon. "Who's that?"

A tall figure stepped out of the shadows, raising the wide brim of his brown Stetson to reveal his face. Goku's jaw fell. He couldn't believe it. It was like he was seeing a ghost. Someone had to have resurrected his brother. And Goku warned Raditz not to come back here if he did survive! Oh well. Too late for that. Goku supposed it was a good thing Raditz survived, as long as he approached everyone in a friendly manner, which he seemed to be doing.

When Raditz took another step forward, the piano music halted with a cacophonous smash of the keys. The laughter filling the air dissipated as all eyes turned on the Saiyan. Roshi cocked his head and placed his empty bottle on the table while other card players lowered their hands, unknowingly exposing their cards. The imposing figure in the doorway broke the silence with his footsteps as he started moving toward the bar.

Roshi scratched his flushed cheek. "Haven't I seen this vagrant somewhere before?"

Tien frowned at the back of Roshi's head, then at the man approaching his bar. This Saiyan was a man he never thought he'd see in his saloon again. He thought the other Saiyans had died out there in the wilderness. Yet one was right in front of him, back in Chiaotzu's Saloon, taking a seat at the empty barstool beside Mrs. Son.

Raditz grinned at the stunned bartender. "Care to pour me a drink?"

Tien snapped his mouth shut and scowled. "Sorry, Saiyan, but this is a private party."

Raditz smiled and extended his reach across the counter and beneath the bar, grabbing the first bottle on which his fingers made purchase. "Looks to me like this party's for everyone who survived an invasion from Frieza and lived to tell the tale. I believe I'm one of those people."

"Raditz!" Vegeta's shout thundered through the saloon. "How the fuck are you alive?"

Raditz turned to raise his bottle to Vegeta. "Good to see you're still alive, too, Vegeta."

Chi-Chi gaped at the man beside her taking a hefty swig of amber liquid from a large bottle. He thumped the bottle on the table with a hiss as the liquid ran down his throat, and then glanced sideways at Chi-Chi with a subtle leer. The last time she'd seen this man, he invaded her home, attacked her, took her child, and told her wild stories about her husband which later turned out to be true. Sitting and drinking beside him was beyond unsettling.

Chi-Chi crossed her arms -modestly, angrily, tightly- over her bosom. "Vegeta asked you a question, asshole."

Raditz scowled at the fine wood grains on the bar. He nearly hadn't survived, but that part didn't need telling. He was loath to admit that he owed his survival to the very race of people he'd thought were below him. They took it upon themselves to take him in when he was inches from death, struggling deliriously in the wilderness with fever. The trusting fools. They were lucky he wasn't feeling cruel when he healed and prepared to leave the Namek camp.

Raditz looked into his brother's wife's dark eyes shining with a fiery passion he hadn't seen in a good while. He smiled as he recalled casing the saloon earlier before he'd stepped through its doors. His brother wasn't the only one who could watch people, but he sure as hell was the same excellent scapegoat he had been when they were younger.

Raditz pressed the bottle to his lip again and gave it a slight tilt, his eyes set on his sister-in-law. "You know my brother's right outside the saloon, right?"

As Raditz took a swig of liquor, raising his bottle in the air, Chi-Chi gasped, growled and shot to her feet. Raditz nodded sharply in the direction of the back window. Chi-Chi stomped across the saloon and threw open the back door so fast that no one else had moved a muscle or said a word before she was gone.

As a man's scream sounded from outside the back window, followed by sharp, angry ranting, Raditz chuckled into his bottle. He hadn't intended to settle in here, but it looked like Vegeta had cozied up with the wench they'd taken hostage. Kakarot had already made it clear he wasn't going anywhere. And though Raditz couldn't help being appreciative of what the Nameks did for him, he certainly wasn't settling up camp with them any time soon. No. He could hang around here. This place was as good as any other town. Now that Frieza was gone, for the first time since he could remember, settling down was an option.

"Now I know where I seen him!" Roshi slurred, throwing a hand up in the air and nearly falling out of his chair. "That's Goku's brother!"

Raditz rolled his eyes and took another swig as the saloon patrons gradually resumed their previous activities. Oolong began a new song on the piano, the music jilted at first but returning to its prior flow within minutes.

Tien grit his teeth and dug his fingers into the edge of his bar. He was fixated on Raditz. He supposed there were enough killers and criminals accepted in his saloon and West City now that it didn't make sense for him to single out this one. But he wasn't going to like it. And he wasn't going to let Raditz out of his sight. He would stay vigilant of all new customers from now on, for the sake of the town.

"Vegeta." That familiar, feminine voice made Raditz raise a brow. "Does your friend have somewhere to stay?"

"He's not my friend."

Ah, Vegeta - his nearest and dearest. Raditz spun slowly on his barstool to face the happy couple. When Vegeta met his eyes, Raditz smirked. It sounded like Vegeta's woman was offering to take up with him.

"Raditz," Bulma said, ignoring the men's animosity as she turned a brilliant smile on the taller Saiyan. "My parents have plenty of vacant rooms at the Capsule Hotel. You can stay. If you promise to behave yourself."

Raditz barked a laugh. "Behave myself?"

Vegeta caught Raditz's eye and sent his friend a cruel smirk. "If he steps out of line, Bulma, I'm more than willing to do the honor of running him out of town."

"Well," Bulma said, clapping her hands together. "There you have it! Now, Vegeta. I believe you owe me another dance. Oolong's playing my favorite tune."

Vegeta balked as Raditz laughed. He groaned when Bulma seized his hand, dragging him into her arms. Even with the numbing effect of alcohol, he could feel heat rushing to his face at the humiliation of demonstrating his dance skills to these people. He couldn't believe he was actually allowing this to happen twice in one night. As Bulma twirled gracefully out of his arms and extended his reach, Vegeta caught sight of Kakarot and his woman outside. They were embracing, grinning through the window like a couple of idiots as they watched him dance.

His feet still moving and gliding, Vegeta rolled his eyes and grimaced, receiving a scornful glare from Bulma in the process. He could see his new life becoming a stage show around here with Kakarot the clown orchestrating the whole damn thing if he wasn't careful. Ah well. At least he knew Raditz's return was good news in one regard - his horse had been the one loaded with their stolen cash. Once Vegeta got his hands on his take, he could live out his life here as a very wealthy man - as long as these people didn't taint him any further with their overwhelming brand of kindness and stupidity.

Yamcha was the last patron to leave the saloon that night while Tien remained inside, closing the place. He stepped out on the porch, hearing the sound of howling coyote in the distance while viewing the black sky casting starlight over the town. Yamcha turned, tipping his hat to the elderly Native American still rocking in his chair on the porch.

"Goodnight, Sheriff Puar," Kami said tiredly.

Yamcha flashed his teeth and gave a tired nod before descending the steps. "You be safe now, Mr. Kami."

Kami's eyes filled with contentment as he watched over the quiet main street of West City, until the lone figure of the sheriff disappeared into the shadows. Even with some shady characters residing here now, Kami knew West City was safe.

Safer than ever.

Thank you everyone for reading and I hope you enjoyed! I want to thank Reda for beta reading this story for me, without whose excellent input this story wouldn't be the same. And I'd like to thank sbubbia for creating amazing fanart to this fic, which you can find on her tumblr page. I was so flattered when I first saw it, and I'm so happy for her being nominated for the piece in the Vegebul TPTH Awards. I have many more stories in me, some of which you will only be able to find exclusively on Pat-reon, but the Western au, I have to admit, was a really fun one ;D